10 July, 2026

It is a big question. And, as with many big questions, the answer is probably both yes and no.

Entrepreneurs are often talked about as disruptors. People who spot an opportunity, move quickly and build something new. But at our 30th anniversary event, in a conversation between Richard Reed (co-founder of Innocent drinks and JamJar Investments), Rodrigo Garcia Gonzalez (co-founder and co-CEO, Notpla and Earthshot Prize Winner), and Giles Gibbons (our Good Business founder), a different picture emerged: entrepreneurs as connectors, problem-solvers and translators between what the world needs and what business can make possible.

Richard said that Innocent’s success was not built on grand claims. It began with a simple idea: making it easier for people to be healthy. The impact continued to build through charity partnerships, better sourcing and a deep commitment to doing business in a way the team could feel proud of. He also made the point that sincerity matters. A business is, at its core, a collection of people. If the commitment from the people is real, it shapes the identity of the company, influences shareholders and encourages smart people to work harder, for longer.

Rodrigo’s experience with Notpla shows a different version of the same idea. Their breakthrough was not just developing a seaweed-based material that could replace single-use plastic, but understanding how to scale it. That meant moving beyond the lab, working and developing partnerships with larger businesses, and embedding Notpla’s linings into supply chains at the point where real change could happen. The result so far: a partnership with Just Eat Takeaway, their products in sports stadiums around the world, and 50 million single-use plastic items avoided.

Both stories suggest that entrepreneurial impact can scale and create broader change, especially when it is built into the business model rather than bolted on afterwards. Entrepreneurs can bring bravery, urgency and imagination. Large businesses can bring scale of reach, infrastructure and influence. Neither can do everything alone.

So, can entrepreneurs save the world? Not on their own. But they can help show what is possible, build the ideas others can adopt, and create the momentum that moves bigger systems forward.

By Emma Lindsay